The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-08-27

Timothy coughlin Responsible For
The Chatsworth Horror And is Ar
rested.
The Total Killed and Died or wounds
foots mp Eighty with Others Ina
Precarious Condition.


ing in session until 945 o'clock they made
their way to tho main street OF the viii
lage and announced TO those whom they
met that they had finally decided on a
verdict Several jurors, together with
Coroner Long proceeded 70 the Office OF
THr WEEKLY PLkIsDKALER, where they in
formed the elitor, Mr.. James A. Smith,
that they desired the verdict 10 be print
ed and number of copies furnished
them. All inquiries as TO the form OF the
verdict or the results OF the inquest were
met with mysterious mods and winks,
and the admonition: "wait and you'll
see.' About III O'Clock the following copy
OF the verdict was given 10 members OF
the press:
State OF Illinois, Livingston County, IS.
lin the matter of the inquisition on the
holy OF Mrs. DIR. Duckett, deceased, held
at hatsworth on the 18th day OF August,
A. ID. 1857: ft.e
We. the undersigned jurors, sworn 20
inquire OF the death OF Mrs. DIR. Duckett,
on oath do find that she came to her death
by injuries received in the wrecking OF
the Niagara Falls excursion train on the
Toledo Peoria l. Western railway. on
which she was a passenger, at bridge
two and one-half miles east OF Chats
wroth, about II o'clock midnight We'd
nesiay, Aug. 10, 1887.
We End that the wrecking of the said
train, which totally demolished eight
coaches, one baggage car and one engine,
and either killed or wounded most of the
occupants OF said coaches. was caused by
said bridge having been burned ont be
fore The train struck IT, We think from
the evidence that the bridge was fred
from fires left burning which had been
act as late as p. IN. that afternoon by
the section men, as close as sixteen feet
on 10th the east and west sides OF the
bridge.
We further find that the foreman OF
section No. Z, Timothy Coughlin, DISC
beyed positive orders from his superior
10 examine the track and bridge on his
section the last thing on Wednesday, and
we find that he did not go over the west
two and one-h half miles nj all on Wednes-
day, and that the said foreman, Coughlin.
was guilty OF gross and criminal careless
meas in leaving fires burning along the
track in sucha dry season AM with a.
strong wind blowing, and we recommend
that he be held for examination by the
grand jury; and, further, IL is the opinion
of the Jury that the leaving OF the track
without being patroIled for six hours be-
fore the Passage OF the excursion tram
and the setting out OF fires by the section
men on such dry and windy day as the
10th OF August 1887, we're acts deserving
severe crincism. H&
w. w. STARS. Foreman.
y. l.. Cook.
DAVID l. SHAW.
IL. T. TpRsEa
j. X. BioHAM.
FRASK OSBORN.
The within verdict was agreed upon and
signed in my presence and approved by
me this--day of August, 1887.
c. II Loso,
Coroner Livingston County.
After the verdict had teen made public
The jurymen explained that they had
preserved such particular secrecy after
returning the verdict because they did not
desire that Coughlin should receive the
news OF his having been held 90 ihegrand
hurry, believing that he might attemptfo
ESCAPE. As soon "a the yer lict hid been
found, however, a warrant for Coughlin's
arrest, prepared by Coroner Long, was
placed In the hands of Deputy Sheriff
San ford. Who 10 also the town marshall
The officer found Coughln working
with his gang short distance DOM the
track. He was nediately PLACID Under
arrest, hut Was allowed to go 10 his hons.
about au arier OF a mile from the depot
with The officer, where he put on his best
srit Of clothes and bid good-by 10 his
wife and seven children, who cried and
hung around his neck in the most Affect
ing manner. The prisoner VS. then
taken 20 the depot, where he awaited the
coming OF the train which was 20 take
him away TO the county jail at Pontiac.
While there he was interviewed and said
be considered the verdict most unjust
one, and declared that Head and Taggart.
the section men who worked with him on
August ~. had perjured themselves IN
swearing that they had set FIRE TO grass
within sixteen feet OF the bridge on that
day. No grass had teen burned within
The distancs Of three or four telegraph
poles east OF the bridge on Ang. 10. He
could not account for their having testi-
fed as they did. lie had not had any
trouble with them. In his opinion he
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